UK Department Store bans use of plastic water bottles

As part of its “Project Ocean 2015” campaign, Selfridges department stores in the UK has decided to remove plastic bottles from their foodhalls and restaurants.

CANTERBURY (Scrap Monster): Selfridges- the chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom, has banned use of plastic water bottles as part of its campaign against marine litter. The decision to remove all single-use plastic water bottles from their foodhalls and restaurants as part of the fifth year of the campaign titled “Project Ocean 2015”.

UK Department Store bans use of plastic water bottles

According to Selfridges, proper recycling of plastic bags and bottles could prevent these wastes from landing up in oceans. Through its partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the department store chain intends to highlight the dangers of single-use plastic and encourage people to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic. It has set up a Project Ocean exhibit at its stores to create awareness among people. The exhibit will run to end-August this year.

Estimates indicate that, over the next decade, oceans could contain approximately one kilogram of plastic for every three kilograms of fish. The UK uses nearly 15 million plastic bottles per day. Globally, around 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, out of which only around 10% is recycled. Nearly 8 million tonnes of plastic are dumped in the oceans every year. The dumping of plastics in the oceans poses threat to marine life.

Selfridges, also known as Selfridge & Co., was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. Its flagship store on London’s Oxford Street was opened in 1909 and is presently the second largest shop in the UK, after Harrods. Selfridges in London was named world’s best department store in 2010 by the Daily Telegraph. It also has stores in the Trafford Centre; Exchange Square, Manchester; and Bullring, Birmingham.